Short Fuse
by Trivette Lover Heather
Summary: Individual Series of Tags to the Season Eight Episode, Short Fuse.
1. Image of NCIS

_**Ron:**__ The Director wanted the image of NCIS to be one of authority and integrity, leadership…_

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AN: _Sorry I missed last weeks folks, got a bit busy, but I may try and back track. Until then, here is the first installment for Short Fuse. Enjoy!

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Ziva thought her mention of his shoulder would be enough to put the whole ordeal to rest.

She was wrong.

"Okay so, I'm not authoritative enough?"

McGee had already left for the evening and Ziva was left alone to humor him.

"Or what? I lack integrity? I'm a DiNozzo…and leadership? I'm Senior field agent…and was offered my own team once...yeah, not public knowledge, but it's true…and it's not like I didn't 'lead' well enough while Gibbs was on his Mexican fiesta…sure, I blew one case but everyone makes mistakes…it's not like I'm just some Indian…I'm a chief…"

Ziva did not bother interrupting, but thankfully she didn't have to when Gibbs presence alone had the uncanny ability to quiet Tony.

"Oh hey boss…"

"Good night," Ziva saw her opportunity and made a swift move for her jacket and hat before moving towards the elevator.

Gibbs nodded his good night before staring back at his lone Agent.

"Something on your mind DiNozzo?"

"No, why would you say that?"

"You're breathing hard."

"I just took the stairs."

"And you're lying."

"Trying to say I lack integrity?"

Gibbs stopped the rapid fire. "I miss something?"

"Like that ever happens." Tony took the glare in stride. "Just saying…"

"Well say it quickly, I'm tired."

"You really don't know?"

"Know what?"

"Seriously?"

Gibbs polished off his glare and hoped it would bring the conversation to a swift end.

"You're uh…you're on the front cover of the new brochure."

"Yeah, and…?"

"And? Vance said he wanted it to represent this Agency…authority, integrity, leadership…" Tony watched as Gibbs moved behind his desk and figured it was pointless. "Never mind…"

Gibbs stood up after reading his Agents expression. "You figure he thinks you lack those things?"

"Just another nail in the coffin, the guy has had it in for me since day one…"

"Yeah, and we get along _great_." Gibbs added with a hint of sarcasm.

"Let's face it boss…not worth competing with the Almighty Gibbs…realized that a long time ago…"

"Didn't know it was a competition."

Tony shrugged. "Then maybe you do miss some things after all."

Gibbs watched him gather his things and move toward the elevator before calling him back. "A picture with some words on it doesn't dictate who you are…"

Tony gave a small smile before nodding in agreement. "Except in this case..."

Gibbs accepted the compliment. "Night DiNozzo."

"Night poster boy…"

"What?"

Tony begged the elevator doors to close. "Nothing…"


	2. Well, I Need A Break

_**Palmer:**__ We need your help. _

_**Abby:**__ Well I need a break. _

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Abby wasn't even startled when Gibbs came through the door and delivered her fourth Caf Pow of the day.

"Cant decide who's more addicted to caffeine, you or me…"

Abby only responded with a small smile and set the drink aside. "Need something?"

"Didn't know I needed something to come down here."

"Why not? That's why everyone else does."

Gibbs glare was less effective, considering the fact that she wasn't looking at him. He quickly remedied that by stepping in front of her key board.

"I don't want to talk about it."

"It?"

"Yeah, it. The 'it' you came down here to investigate…I've known you long enough to know your looks…and that look..." She pointed at him and continued. "Is the inquisitive one. Sure, it's the concerned inquisitive…and it's always super adorable when you're concerned, but right now, I'm not really feeling it."

"Feeling what?"

"Exactly." She gestured towards the door. "Thanks for the Caf Pow, but if you don't need anything I'm really busy…"

"Since when do you want to get rid of me?"

Her face fell. "I don't…I'm not…I'm just…" She searched for the right word, which concerned Gibbs even more. "I'm just tired okay? Don't you ever get tired?"

Gibbs opened his mouth to respond when he was cut short.

"Of course you don't…you run on four hours of sleep. You have caffeine coursing through your bloodstream constantly…well that used to work me too, but not anymore."

His expression changed. "Abs…"

She wasn't sure if it was the genuine tone in his voice or the new element of gentleness that struck her, but her eyes instantly well edwith tears. "You really have a way of getting things out of me huh?"

"It's a gift."

"Or a curse," she shrugged. "I've just been thinking a lot about the past few months. Some days it's harder for me to think about than others…"

"Which part?"

"Oh I don't know…having a crazy killer after us always rattles me a bit. And there was the whole dead doll thing, which I'll admit was kinda cool, but what really got me, was you."

"Me?"

"Yeah…I guess I'll never get used to almost losing you…_again_."

"So I'm the 'it' that's bothering you?"

"Lately."

"What do you want me to do?"

"That's just it, there's nothing you can do…I just gotta work through this little funk on my own."

"On your own?"

She thought for a moment. "I figure this time I should learn how to get through it without you…because one day you really will be gone…and even if I never ever in a million years want to think about that…it's true."

He could still see the tears resting in her eyes. "I'm not planning on going anywhere."

"Yeah? Well neither was Kate."

Gibbs cringed as he felt the familiar pain of loss rife through him.

"Gibbs, I'm sorry..." She embraced him in the midst of her apology and held him for a few seconds. "Shouldn't have said that."

He eased her away slowly but kept his arms on her shoulders. "It's okay Abs…I know how much things like this bother you…I should have been around more."

"That's just it, I don't want to rely on you to spend the night or listen to me ramble for hours on the phone all the time. I need to find a healthy way to work through stuff…the none Gibbs way…"

He hid a smile. "And just so we're clear, there's no Gibbs replacement that I don't know about?"

She shook her head. "Not unless you count kick boxing class a replacement?"

"Fair enough." He quickly changed from verbal speech to signing as he sensed the conversation coming to a close.

"_I will not always be here. But I am now…"_

She understood and smiled towards him. "_I know."_

"_Good night."_

"_Good night…"_

_And as always, he signed a simple yet reassuring I love you just as the elevator doors closed between them. _


	3. Certain Older Men

_**Ziva:**__ Well, I find certain older men, attractive. _

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AN: Light Gibbs/Ziva (Near the end)

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"Like George Clooney older or George Burns older?"

Ziva had to think for a second about what her partner was referring to. "I do not know either of those Georges."

"George Clooney? One Fine Day…The Perfect Storm…"

"Does he think he is perfect?"

"Cute." Tony shot back.

"So he is cute and perfect?"

"Never mind." He returned to his work momentarily until his curiosity got the best of him. "Okay so, the boss older? Or Ducky older?"

"Why are you obsessing over this?"

"I am not obsessing. Why do you always think I'm obsessing? I'm just asking a legitimate follow up question to a pretty insinuating comment…that's all."

"Well I do not want to answer your follow up questions."

He stood up right then. "Which you know is going to make me even more curious-er, so you should just tell me which older men you find attractive."

"No."

"No?"

"No."

"Is there an echo?" Gibbs swooped in but not before returning Tony to his desk with his stare. "What do we got?"

"We got nothing boss, she won't answer me."

Ziva scoffed. "This is not reverent to the case at all Tony."

"Not necessarily. We should know if there's a chance you'll be making a move on the Fed."

"He is a married man."

"I see, so you find certain older men who aren't _married_ attractive."

"HEY!" Gibbs yell silenced the bickering for now. "The next words out of you better be about this case."

And with that the day continued without another word from Tony on the subject. That was until it was time to go home.

"Just so we're clear…Gibbs older? Or Ducky older?"

She resisted head slapping him. "Gibbs older. Now will you let it go?"

"Let what go?" Tim joined in the timely conversation.

"Ziva thinks Gibbs is attractive."

"I did not say that."

"So you _don't_ think Gibbs is attractive?"

"I did not say that either."

Tony had to smile. "Well make up your mind, either you would date the boss or you wouldn't. Simple question. Simple answer."

"Is it?"

The three of them cringed at the sound of his voice, but should have known better anyhow.

"Oh hey boss, we were just…"

"Setting me up on a date DiNpzzo?"

"Well no…I mean…I could if you wanted me to. Do you want me to boss?" His head was thrust forward before he had a chance to finish. "So no on the set up, got it."

It was silent for a few more seconds.

"Well Ziva?"

The three of them stood stunned, not only because Gibbs was still standing there, but because he was the one who posed the question.

Tony elbowed McGee. "Um, we'd love to stay…but Probie and I got a movie to catch…"

Tim was confused for a second but eventually caught on. "Right…see ya tomorrow."

The two scurried off, leaving Gibbs and Ziva toe to toe at the elevator. It wasn't until Tony and McGee were out of sight that she replied.

"I suppose I should keep comments like that to myself in the future?"

Gibbs managed a small smile as he stepped into the elevator beside her. "Ya think?"


	4. Think We Got It Covered

_**Krone:**__ I'd love to show Agent Gibbs what I can do. _

_**Tony**__: Think we got it covered Agent Krone. _

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Tony noticed Agent Krone leaving the bull pen, not long after he arrived that morning.

"We catch a case boss?" He gestured towards the Agents back as he was leaving.

"No."

And with the one word response, Tony's gut began to churn even more. "So uh, Agent Krone just popping in to say Hi?"

"If you must know, he brought me a coffee." Gibbs responded curtly. "Any other questions?"

"Uh no," he sat down behind his desk.

Tim entered in shortly after and started to hand out coffees. He'd bet U of M in the game Saturday so his penance would be getting coffee for the next week. "Oh, sorry boss, didn't know you had one already…" His face fell a bit.

Gibbs gladly took the second cup and left the bull pen moments later.

"Guess he couldn't wait till I got here huh?"

Tony shook his head. "It's worse than that Probie."

"What?" Tim was just kidding, but now he was curious.

"The boss is cheating on us with another Agent."

McGee stifled a laugh. "Come on Tony."

"Oh sure laugh it up…it's all fun and games until he starts staying late to review his file…and starts ignoring our calls…before you know it we'll be NCIS orphans."

"Are you feeling alright?"

Ziva enterered right then. "I could ask him that every day."

"Very cute…but just wait. You'll see."

"What is he rambling about?" Ziva questioned as she set her side arm into the top drawer of her desk.

"Tony seems to think the boss is seeing another Agent behind our backs."

"Literally? Or in his imagination?"

"I'm not entirely sure." Tim had to smile.

"I'm telling ya…first he asks to show Gibbs what he can do, then he brings him coffee. He's pushing for a spot on this team."

"Agent Krone?" Ziva replied with a shrug. "First of all, there is no 'spot' on this team, and second of all, he is not a good fit for Gibbs…"

"Yeah, I thought the same thing about the Probie but lo and behold…"

"Hey!" Tim glared across the bull pen.

"Relax Tony…I am sure Gibbs knows what he is doing."

"And just what would that be?" He set his coffee cups down and waited for a response.

"Your pink shirt boss…very daring…not many guys can pull that off."

Gibbs glare sat Tony down, before directing it back towards Ziva.

She was too tired to try and explain. "Tony thinks that you are considering Agent Krone for a spot on this team."

"Is that true DiNozzo?"

"Only half true boss…I know that you'd never split us up …I mean why would you mess with a well oiled machine? We go together like a photo in a picture frame right?"

Gibbs ended the conversation by returning behind his desk, but he was sure to ease their minds before sending them home that evening.

"If I make a choice for this team, it's gonna be to make us better at what we do. That clear?"

The three nodded in agreement, but he could see the slight concern on their faces.

"And it's gonna take a hell of a lot more than a cup of coffee to convince me."

Tony sighed outwardly in relief. "So how many cups did the Probie get you before you gave in boss?"

"Bout as many as you did DiNozzo."

"But, I never got you coffee."

Gibbs nodded towards him before heading home. "Exactly."


End file.
